The Kirksville School Board approved a nearly 5 percent increase in the wages it will pay its bus drivers and a nearly 3 percent increase in the cost per-mile with a new transportation contract with Weber Bus for the upcoming school year.

The Board unanimously approved a contract that calls for an 50-cent wage increase to $12 an hour for Weber Bus drivers and a per-mile cost increase of 5 cents to $1.90 per mile traveled.

The contract total of $876,857 covers 15 rural routes, eight city routes, three early childhood special education routes and two K-12 special education routes.

Board President Jeff Brawner said he believed the contract was "fair to all parties involved."

In other actions, the Board also approved multiple purchases including middle school lunch room table replacements, refurbishment of a high school grand piano and a low-bid for foundation work for the Construction Trades class.

The Board unanimously approved the purchase of four lunchroom tables for the recently-renamed William Matthew Middle School for $8,319 from its sole provider of Indoff.

The Kirksville Primary School will also see improvements, with the Board approving the resurfacing of the gymnasium floor for $19,387 through Charles Luebbert Hardwood Floors, Inc. The project will include the sanding, removing existing finishing/paint and coating with a seal/finish and striping playing courts. Work is expected to be completed on the project over the summer.

Work will also be completed over the summer in the refurbishment of the middle school's 1937 Knabe grand piano, with the Board approving the expenditure of $24,000 through Premier Piano Service of Walker, Iowa. The company refurbished the high school's grand piano last year and presents a significantly cheaper alternative than buying a new piano for at least $75,000.

The Board also approved the low-bid from Chalgren Construction of $48,957 to lay the foundation for the 2013-14 Construction Trades house for the upcoming project. The concrete work is not done by students and must be completed by an outside contractor.